Game Changers

The Game Changers brings us the stories of two men, born just a few years apart, who came to Canada under very different circumstances and who both built hugely successful business empires, starting from scratch. First we hear from legendary broadcaster and publisher Moses Znaimer. The man who brought the music video to Canada. Along with so many more media innovations. Back when most Canadians had access to only a couple of TV channels, Moses Znaimer saw a future filled with channels--each catering to a small slice of the market. And he began launching networks that would do just that. He founded CityTV, and then MuchMusic, Fashion Television, Bravo, and many other networks too. “I always, always preferred being intensely relevant in the lives of two percent than being vaguely of interest in the lives of twenty percent.” Narinder Dhir was a successful young businessman in Punjab who gave it all up to come to Canada in 1969, where he started over and met with more success than he could have imagined. Narinder founded a company called Twin Brooks Developments, which has been the foundation of his success. “My first job I got on Burrard, Vancouver—Burrard Street. They were opening Vancouver Auto. They asked me to wash cars, clean floors, but I have a feeling inside, very much ashamed that I belonged to a very good family. What is happening? But the owner advised me, he say, “I came to this country. My wife was working in a rich man’s house, I was going to university, I’m a German, I learn lots of English here, and I work hard. I’m a mechanic, now I’m a partner of this company. If you want to succeed in Canada, everybody’s equal, you are to set your own goal. You have to work hard and no shame, nothing.” So I took a lesson from him.”

Episode 6 of the Countless Journeys podcast, hosted by Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, titled "Game Changers" was published on August 2, 2021 and runs 39 minutes.

August 2, 2021 ·39m · Countless Journeys

Summary

The Game Changers brings us the stories of two men, born just a few years apart, who came to Canada under very different circumstances and who both built hugely successful business empires, starting from scratch. First we hear from legendary broadcaster and publisher Moses Znaimer. The man who brought the music video to Canada. Along with so many more media innovations. Back when most Canadians had access to only a couple of TV channels, Moses Znaimer saw a future filled with channels--each catering to a small slice of the market. And he began launching networks that would do just that. He founded CityTV, and then MuchMusic, Fashion Television, Bravo, and many other networks too. “I always, always preferred being intensely relevant in the lives of two percent than being vaguely of interest in the lives of twenty percent.” Narinder Dhir was a successful young businessman in Punjab who gave it all up to come to Canada in 1969, where he started over and met with more success than he could have imagined. Narinder founded a company called Twin Brooks Developments, which has been the foundation of his success. “My first job I got on Burrard, Vancouver—Burrard Street. They were opening Vancouver Auto. They asked me to wash cars, clean floors, but I have a feeling inside, very much ashamed that I belonged to a very good family. What is happening? But the owner advised me, he say, “I came to this country. My wife was working in a rich man’s house, I was going to university, I’m a German, I learn lots of English here, and I work hard. I’m a mechanic, now I’m a partner of this company. If you want to succeed in Canada, everybody’s equal, you are to set your own goal. You have to work hard and no shame, nothing.” So I took a lesson from him.”

Episode Description